by Jossy Loes
Alberto waited quietly outside the cinema. He wore a simple jeans, a surfer t-shirt and his hair was cut. "Oh, yes! He was handsome". So handsome that I stopped, leaned on the wall, because I felt that my legs were trembling.
I was exaggerating, I know, as I also know that anybody who would have heard my thoughts was about to hang a note on me: "You silly nuisance!". To tell you the truth, it was the first time I took seriously a date like this.
I used to go out with my friends frequently, I knew who would had came and where we would gave gone, almost always we ended up eating in one of the nearby burger shops and later we sat on the banks of the avenue for a chat and laugh accompanied by the fresh night air that was covering us, inviting us to go closer to the sea.
Almost always we did it. Instead, this time I wasn't sure of anything.
From where he was standing, he greeted me waving his hand cunningly. I felt a certain disappointment, then I wanted to give myself several mental slaps for letting me be guided by my nerves. It was obvious that he wouldn't be gliding across the floor towards me and stop just few meters before my feet and pull out a rose of his hat, it would happen in a movie and we lived the real life.
I had to be honest with myself, as well as I also should thank to my aunt Fayna, thanks to her, I was here then. In June she broke her leg and I had to stay for a month in her home. She was single, she didn't want to go back to my grandmother's house since the summer was beginning and the only person who was free of obligations was I.
During these two days I was there, they tried indirectly to persuade me, as well as they tried to bribe me, so eventually I accepted it under the condition of being able to go out and sunbathe every day.
For a moment I thought the negotiation would end without any problems, but it didn't. Before that walk, my aunt asked me to sit with her and watch soap operas. Never, but never, I thought that she was watching these novels, as modern as she was, and definitely I was on the verge of catching a trauma. Cries, break ups, impossible love relationships up to unfaithfulness.
On the fourth day I was almost loosing it and decided to ask her why she watches them. I should have never asked her, the life of my aunt was worse than those soap operas.
I listened to her with attention, despite the fact that it ended sadly, it was full of passion. Each one made me think and remember that I should avoid situations which could break my heart. Now I'm sure you shouldn't swear "I'll never...", because it happens before the sentence ends.
It was something past seven in the evening when I decided to walk along the shore of the Cicer, listening to the latest DVicio album, letting myself be lead by my favorite song. The sea was splashing my feet, fiddling with the waves, at the same time, the last rays of the sun caressed my face with a gentle heat, feelings of well-being overwhelmed me, and therefore, I sometimes forgot that there were other people on the beach.
I sang out loud, closing my eyes, I knew the route since I had agreed to accompany my aunt, but on that day I bumped with a surfboard that suddenly appeared, making me fall down on my ass. Of course, I was covered with sand, water and more sand.
My first reaction was not to shout, but to save my iPod and I heard an "I'm sorry". His voice left me speechless, the board fell to the side and he gave me the hand to help me get up. We looked at each other, both surprised.
—I sensed an algae in my hair —he said, being the first to speak—. I tried to get it off and I haven't noticed that I was close to the shore.
Of all the people I knew on the island, I never thought I'd find him on that side of the town. He has been for two years in Las Palmas, his family had moved for his father's work reasons, and since his first step in the institute, he was one of the popular kids of the class.
I didn't deny how handsome he was, but I just wanted to be like the rest of the girls, who tried to make him notice them, so I went over to the side of those who saw him just as a regular guy. A side in which were just three of us, and of those three, two had a boyfriend. To be honest, I was alone on that side, I would swear that once I saw one of those girls who had a boyfriend also giving him the eye.
And so it was during one long year, watching what was happening from the fence. A year of many changes among us, couples that broke being Alberto guilty or not, graffiti with his name and a grotesque drawing next to it, anonymous love letters... He ignored what was happening around him to get along well with everyone and to show that none of that huge group of girls was interesting to him.
At the beginning of the new course, he got rid of those girls that were after him as if he were the leader of a band. I didn't understand that decision, and even less what followed, that started certain bets in the institute which of us was behind, as he lost any interest to get closer to my group of friends.
The coldness of my wet legs brought me back to the present, to where I was, in front of him. I blinked several times, thinking about possible accurate answer.
—It wasn't your fault, I was walking with my eyes closed—I answered hastily. Alberto smiled and helped me to get up.
—In any case, it's not necessary to call the security and report the loss —he said in a mocking tone. I tilted to one side my head, frowning, and next thing I smiled at how he tried to downplay the situation.
—Please —I said with a raised eyebrow—. Don't say something like that ever again, it's a bad joke, very bad. —Alberto laughed, rubbed his neck and looked at me for a few eternal seconds.
—I must go —he said then—, but tell me the truth, are you okay?
I confirmed with my head, being moved by his care about my state. I saw the sincerity in his eyes, but, unfortunately, it wasn't enough for me to look at his face, I scanned his abdomen and swallowed saliva.
It's not that I hadn't realized at the institute how handsome ha was, but it wasn't the same to see him dressed normally or to see his naked torso with droplets of water falling over his abdomen.
"I'm taken by you!", I thought in that moment, it became clear to me why he had such a fan club and I hated myself when I realized that I just had enrolled, though the worst came seconds after. Alberto had noticed that I was observing him openly. I felt so ashamed that I had somehow to reply quickly or I would end up as the girls that were after him, and the first thing that I thought of was my iPod and how I held it in my hand.
I looked askance and I came to fear that when I open it I won't be able to close it back, I had to focus on any idea that might made Alberto change his mind. It was embarrassing to say the fault had been mine, since I preferred a thousand times to roll myself on the volcanic sand beach before my iPod got wet.
—Yes —I said quickly—. But I think that he would register my hand as soon as it would open.
"Shit", I'd just said the biggest stupidity I had said in my whole short life. As he picked up his board, he bent his head to the side and those little lines next to his eyes were accompanied by a smile that captured my attention and I felt I was about to melt.
—I have no fucking idea of what you wanted to say —he indicated, waiting for me to explain better. I had to change the topic before he reveals my feelings.
I didn't use to act that way, but it seemed that my brain had been abducted and I got to think that all the blame was on the soap operas that my aunt watched, including gossip programs.
—Nothing, forget it, I had no idea you're a surfer.
—Well... —he replied ironically—. Nor is it that you spend a lot of time with us and I do not know if your are bothered by my presence.
—What?! —I opened my eyes, surprised by his sincerity. I recognized instantly my big and huge mistake.
The first few days when he began to coming closer, my heart jumped with joy because of the illusions that I made, but as time passed, I realized that he treated my friends the same way, so I decided to return to my starting point, watching from the fence. Now I think that he should not conceal very well.
As a general rule, when a girl was attracted to a
guy, she was fluttering around him, and without realizing it, when he came to us or appeared with one of my friends, I waited for a reasonable amount of time, then invented some excuse and I was off. I think that my strategy gave him a different perception.
Nor I was ignoring him, as I hinted. I used to talk with him when he spoke directly to me, even though I avoided to look at his the face as much as possible, in my head was blinking that "the eyes were the mirror of the soul", and I refused to discover how much I liked him.
I sighed deeply, it was true, my behavior could have created assumptions, so I felt the heat in my face, regretting and letting myself be carried away by my raving.
—Sorry, if I have offended you, I had no purpose of doing so.
—Calm down—he responded immediately, smiled again and looked at me—. You're not like the others and I like that.
I didn't know how to respond. The only thing I thought was that those minutes turned into the best thing that had happened to me during those days.
—And tell me, Xio... —he continued—. What do you do on the other side of the avenue? Don't tell me that you're lost.
My smile was erased in that moment and I looked at him with a raised eyebrow, "who is lost?". For a few moments, I thought that I was talking to my friend Echedey, I used to ask those ridiculous questions and, as we were most of the time together, I looked right away around me, searching for him, thinking that he was observing in detail each of my moves and would make fun of me for the rest of our lives.
I won't allow it to him, so I threw that idea out of my mind and read between the lines what he meant. I sighed calmly, thinking that perhaps I wasn't the only one who was desperately searching for a topic to talk about.
—No, I'm not lost, I know my way very well —I stated, crossing my arms with the iPod still in my closed hand.
I refused to open it, I was terrified as if it was a part of my skin. It wasn't so bad, I bit my inside cheek to stop rambling in my mind before Alberto analyzed my attitude and realized that I was nervous.
—I'll be here for a month, my aunt lives right there. —I pointed to the right at a few buildings that were behind the avenue, without realizing that it was the hand in which I held my iPod, and I saw in slow motion how it fell, believing I would die.
I cursed out loud, leaning quickly to clean it carefully with my t-shirt, while the waves splashed all the algae from the whole sea together with the volcanic sand, causing Alberto roar with laughter.
—Damn! —he exclaimed, slightly clearing his throat—. Perhaps you might call an expert witness or police officer to take a report.
I looked at him with a desire to assassinate him, I realized he could believe that I had a screw loose, but someone had to understand me.
How could I explain to my parents that I walked with my eyes closed along the Cicer?,[3] I stumbled upon a friend who, without wanting to, pushed me and I fell in the water together with my iPod. No fucking way they would believe me! "I'm taken by you in the sea!", I exclaimed to myself. However, Alberto again extended his hand toward me. I didn't accept it, trying to save a little of my pride.
—Wow! —he started mocking again, put the surfboard to one side and crossed his arms with a mischievous smile—. I had no idea that you were so stubborn.
—Why do you think that? —I answered, looking at him with challenge. He smiled sideways, and I hated that perfect smile, on his perfect face that made me melt.
I couldn't deny it, he affected me in all ways, that day when I saw him for the first time I had given to Ana a nudge so strong that I almost left her without air, and it wasn't usual to see a guy with a brown haircut put to one side, accompanied by amazing brown eyes hidden behind the long eyelashes that were packed together with that smile and that body that made me turn my head to look at him and to sigh silently.
—So your aunt lives there! —he pointed with the finger and I didn't know if he did it to make fun of me or it was just curiosity.
—Yes, there she lives and I think that I should go now, it's late and I am soaked.
—See you! —he said mockingly—. If I come back tomorrow about this time, will you be here?
—Why do you want to know? —I asked with a heavy heart.
—To make sure that I save first your iPod and then your life.
—How funny! —I spit out, angry with him for making fun of my misfortune—. No one had mentioned to me your role as a clown.
—The truth is that I am not, I'm practicing it with you for the first time.
I could not answer, I could swear that he was as nervous as me, then I denied it in my head. It was Alberto, and from what I knew he was a self-esteemed guy, so I concluded that it just served to keep a conversation. In any case, it was better to leave, I didn't want to take guesses or make illusions, he was friendly always with everybody and I wasn't the exception.
—I think that you've looked for a bad auditory to give you a verdict, and, well, you can be sure that I would again get wet and dirty of sand to save my iPod if I stumbled again.
He laughed again, at the same time I heard another guy calling him, I turned around and looked carefully, reconsidering that it was Echedey and that he might have seen everything that had happened, but I breathed calmly when he approached. Alberto passed his hand through his hair and made a grimace followed by a curse, listening to how they made fun of him. He look at me again, softening his features.
—I have to go —he said—. I can't promise you to come tomorrow, but some of these evenings I'll be here.
—The beach is for everybody.
—I think that the clown roles have been exchanged.
We smiled, it had been a proper touché. He waved goodbye with his hand and I did the same, then I walked hastily to tell Ana about that unexpected and strange encounter.
Two days later, Ana managed to sleep in my aunt's house and, of course, Fayna was delighted when she realized that they were soul mates. She enjoyed watching soap operas and they spoke about people from the art world for whom I had no idea who they were.
I looked at the clock watching the minute hand not advancing at all, and the talk lasted until the late afternoon. Ana noticed that and got up, saying to my aunt that it was about a time for us to flirt around. I hated her, why did she have to say such foolishness?
I breathed all the air I could and went to the room to change, taking my bikini and a towel without saying a word.
—Xio, don't be silly, your aunt Fayna is young and she doesn't consider it bad if you make out with some boy that we know.
—Ana! The food hasn't sat well with you —I said ironically. My friend laughed with all her strength.
—Alberto made you eating from his hand. —I raised the middle finger, turning my back to her and entering the bathroom. On the exit, I felt like it wasn't a good idea and I was right.
The first thing he did was to enthusiastically greet the surfers with his two hand and from the distance I could see as they looked at each others and laughed. I put my hand on my face thinking it was a terrible mistake. Some began to come closer to the sand and I wanted to shoot myself, because I had no idea what I would do, I turned towards my friend who was very angry.
—As they believe that we come to flirt, you stay with me.
—Hey, girl! You don't have to come here, I'm not going to lose the opportunity, moreover, are you a paranormal or blind, don't you see it's Alberto? —I looked immediately and swallowed saliva, because it was true.
It was as if the son of Poseidon was going out of the water with his surf board and wet hair, which he was shaking with his other hand and, together with the evening of that day, which was fantastic since the sky played with the shades of the orange, he seemed to be a protagonist of a movie. I looked at the horizon again, the sunsets like this could only be seen on the beach of las Canteras, the most part of the year it was that mystic.
And I realized that I was thinking about many stupid things, blame was on Alberto for being so hand
some. From far away he greeted us and when he came up to us, he looked me up and down.
—Today you've arrived ready for another tumble? —I opened my eyes, surprised, what would Ana think about that question? I answered right away roaring with laughter.
—Maybe he likes to roll with the waves. —I hated him for his games and making me look ridiculous—. Xio, don't be stubborn, I asked her if she would be here today and she said yes, that's why I have come.
—Or maybe that has been agreed. —They nodded to each other and I felt betrayed, since I was thinking that she was my best friend—. Then I'll leave you to talk, I'm going to walk a while on the sand along Playa Chica.
—I'll accompany you —said Alberto.
I opened my mouth to try to tell him that it wasn't necessary, but I couldn't, he left his board to Ana yelling to his friends that they he's leaving and immediately, took a few steps to make me follow him, and I did it without saying anything.
I was shy, everything had happened so fast that I didn't have time to think, and there I was walking next to him. This silence was killing me, so I began to think of what we could talk, and I was observing the sea, the waves, the bar and how the people enjoyed swimming in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
—Since when do you surf?
—Since I remember, my father surfs and he taught me.
—I don't get it at all and I never stepped on a board, I have no feeling for balance. —Alberto laughed loudly.
—The technique improves with time, nobody enters the sea with a plank and makes it from the first attempt.
—So, it is called the plank? —I asked with interest.
—Yes, there are several boards for different variants, for riding the waves you must have fallen a million times before, from a Frontside to Backside, the Take off, it sounds like Chinese, but it's called like that and when you already have it mastered and do it with your eyes closed, then comes the exciting, the tubes, reentry, floater...
I felt comfortable listening to him speaking passionately of his hobby, he told me the experiences and stories that he had had. The afternoon was cooling, to the sound of the waves made the talk more enjoyable, we returned by the same route, then we saw how the sun was about to hide among the mountains of Gáldar and Guía.